The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the United States’ Treasury Department has classified 26 individuals from Somalia as Terror Operatives and Illicit Charcoal Smugglers.
This group includes 15 financial facilitators and operatives, four al-Shabaab charcoal smugglers, and seven associated companies.
Among the key designated individuals on the list is Ali Ahmed Naji, a close associate of Ahmed Madobe, the president of Jubaland, federal state in Somalia.
In a press release issued on Wednesday evening, OFAC which is responsible for implementing and enforcing economic sanctions against various entities such as terrorists and drug traffickers, has stated that these individuals played a role in strengthening Al-Shabaab’s capabilities.
According to the report, this designation targets prominent regional leaders, affiliates, and individuals associated with the terrorist organization in Somalia who are engaged in various activities to support al-Shabaab, including financial facilitation, conducting business operations, imposing taxes on behalf of the terrorist group, the proliferation of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and participating in the illicit smuggling of charcoal from Somalia, all of which have exacerbated local conflicts and suffering.
Although, Ahmed Madobe, the President of Jubaland, who has long been suspected of involvement in the charcoal trade, is not included in the list, yet the inclusion of his close associate, Ali Ahmed Naji, carries significance as it puts the Jubaland leader, under whose control the charcoal trade flourished, under international scrutiny.
Naji’s involvement in the charcoal trade is estimated to have resulted in the export of up to 90,000 bags of charcoal in 2016 alone, according to the Treasury which noted that as a smuggler, he coordinated activities between charcoal suppliers, traffickers, and Al-Shabaab, handling payments for transporting charcoal to the terrorist group. Naji also brokered a revenue-sharing agreement between charcoal producers, traffickers, and Al-Shabaab to ensure the group received a portion of the profits.
In addition to his role in the charcoal trade, Naji has alao been identified as a financial facilitator for Al-Shabaab since at least 2011, the report said. He was previously involved in storing and distributing the group’s petroleum supplies in Somalia. Naji also collected mandatory donations for Al-Shabaab.
Naji is also as the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Jamame Brothers Company, a Somalia-based company with business connections to various countries, including the UAE, Kenya, Djibouti, China, India and Pakistan.
The Treasury Department reveals that as recently as mid-2022, Naji transferred approximately $1.2 million to Jamame Brothers Company to finance Al-Shabaab’s activities. Furthermore, he has procured substantial quantities of gasoline and gas oil, amounting to 2,500 metric tons and 2,000 metric tons respectively for a business associated with Jamame Brothers Company.
Another significant individual mentioned in the designation list is Bashir Khalif Musse (Musse), a Dubai-based businessman accused of shipping approximately 4,400 metric tons of charcoal from Somalia to the UAE.
According to the report, Musse owns or controls several UAE-based companies, which are also designated.
Sitti General Trading LLC, Kismayo General Trading LLC, and Bushra Bachir Shipping and Logistics Services L.L.C. Additionally are the companies run by Musse, the Treasury said.
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